The city of Pittsburgh hasn't had many hard connections within big-time auto racing over the years, but a major one's being forged on the IndyCar circuit.
Chip Ganassi, the Fox Chapel native whose racing teams have won 18 championships, including four Indianapolis 500s, a Daytona 500 and a Brickyard 400, announced Tuesday that locally headquartered PNC Bank will be the primary sponsor of his No. 9 Honda for the Verizon IndyCar Series' 2018 season. It'll be driven by four-time IndyCar Series champ Scott Dixon, including in the 102nd edition of Indy 500 on May 27.
Below are prototypes of the car and the uniform:
“As a Pittsburgh native, PNC was a trusted brand I grew up with. I opened up my first account as a teenager, and that relationship later expanded to include my business financing,” Ganassi said in a statement. “Our racing team has enjoyed a formal relationship with PNC since 2013 where we have created opportunities to introduce our love of the sport of racing to PNC and their clients. Today’s announcement allows us to expand the fan experience at race tracks across the U.S. and take our two winning brands to a global viewing audience.”
“Expanding our association with Chip Ganassi Racing and champion driver Scott Dixon brings together two organizations specializing in innovation, determination and a commitment to excellence,” PNC's chairman, Bill Demchak, said in a statement. “As we debut the No. 9 PNC Bank Indy car this season, the global brand visibility and the unique race track experiences we can offer clients around the country will bring new opportunities for us in an industry that attracts an estimated 54 million fans.”
Ganassi, 59, has two cars in the IndyCar Series, two in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, one in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, two factory Ford GT’s in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, and two factory Ford GT’s in the FIA World Endurance Championship.
Here's the official announcement video:
